Army apprises envoys on AFSPA, Pak backed infiltration, deradicalisation of youths in J-K

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is not absolute and the Army is bound by legal scrutiny, the 25-member delegation of foreign envoys on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir was told on Thursday.

They visited the headquarters of Chinar Corps in Srinagar where they were given a detailed presentation by GOC- Chinar Corps Lieutenant General KJS Dhillon.

Sources, privy to the meeting, said that envoys raised questions over the AFSPA to which Lt Gen Dhillon replied, saying that "AFSPA is special power but not absolute and the Army is bound by legal scrutiny."

He also informed the envoys about the local employment scheme and recruitment drive run by the Army.

According to sources, he also told the delegates about how the Army is engaging mothers in Kashmir to persuade their radicalised sons, who have joined the terrorist's organisation or ranks to return home.

Lt Gen Dhillon also informed the envoys that all the terror camps in Pakistan are 100 per cent functional and as the snow melts there will be attempts of infiltration with help of cover fire by the Pakistan Army.

He also said that Pakistan is using the international border for infiltration and India is equipped to intercept and eliminate the same.

The delegation comprising envoys of Germany, France, Mexico, and other countries is on a two-day visit of Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the ground situation in the region nearly six months after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.

The group consists of representatives from Afghanistan, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, the European Union, France, Germany, Republic of Guinea, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Namibia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Rwanda, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.

Last month, envoys of 15 countries including US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster and diplomats from Vietnam, South Korea, Brazil, Niger, Nigeria, Morocco, Guyana, Argentina, Philippines, Norway, Maldives, Fiji, Togo, Bangladesh, and Peru visited Jammu and Kashmir on January 9 and 10 to see the efforts being made by the government for the region's development.